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Local News for Monday 16th May 2016

Google translate scammersEmail scammers have targeted the Western Isles with a message written in Gaelic, according to reports. The email comes from Italy and claims to be from an African man whose father has been poisoned. Police said the message seemed to have been written using the online translation tool, Google Translate, which has only had Gaelic available since February. Some islanders in Benbecula who received the message said the Gaelic was ‘poor’.

Local News for Tuesday 17th May 2016

Jobs to come in HIE forecastHighlands and Islands Enterprise are predicting up to 100 jobs kept or created in the Callanish area over the next three years, in an announcement about the 2015/16 year’s figures. They estimate that 130 jobs will have been created or retained in the Outer Hebrides because of their investment in the past year, pointing to major projects in Lochboisdale, where a new Port of Entry was opened in September and in Harris, where 17 jobs were created at the Isle of Harris Distillery in Tarbert. Work will start soon at the HIE owned site at Breasclete, where BASF Callanish Ltd is expanding and 80 high quality jobs will be supported, with 20 more in the life science sector in the next three years. Other potential expansion areas are in the creative industries, food and drink and tourism. There’s been £300,000 investment at Harris Tweed Hebrides for a major expansion project which aims to create up to ten jobs. HIE also funds local development officer posts in North Uist, Barra, Galson, Lochs and Harris.

Local News for Wednesday 25th May 2016

Former estate owner to sueIt’s been reported that the former owner of the Pairc Estate in Lewis is to sue the new owners, Pairc Trust, for £700,000. Barry Lomas says he’s owed the money for legal costs incurred during the sale, and compensation. Mr Lomas received £500,000 purchase price after protracted legal wrangling and interventions under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act of 2003. Funding support came from the Scottish Land Fund, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and the local Muaitheabhal Community Wind Farm Trust, in addition to almost £300,000 raised by the Pairc Trust themselves. Trust representatives said this week that they did not believe Mr Lomas was entitled to any payments, but that they expected he would pursue his claim.

Local News for Wednesday 18th May 2016

Skye fatality – witnesses soughtPolice are asking for public help after a 24-year-old woman died in a road traffic collision on the Isle of Skye. The accident happened at about 10.10am on the morning of Friday 13th May, on the A87 just north of Broadford. Sadly, the woman died at the scene. At the family’s request, her identity will not be released by Police Scotland. Police are appealing to anyone who saw the vehicle, a red Ford Fiesta, in the area around 10am on Friday to make contact via 101 if they haven’t already done so.

Local News for Thursday 19th May 2016

Louisa raised for investigationThe wreck of the Stornoway fishing vessel Louisa has reached Glasgow after being raised from the position where she sank, near the island of Mingulay, with the loss of three lives. Crew members Martin Johnstone and Chris Morrison drowned in the incident, while skipper Paul Alliston is still missing. One crew member survived. Marine Accident Investigators issued pictures of the Louisa after she was lifted from the seabed on Sunday. The sinking is the subject of a joint investigation between the Marine Accident Investigation Board and Police Scotland. An MAIB spokesman said: "Our investigation aims to establish why the Louisa sank and why lives were lost. A full and detailed report will be published at the end of our investigation”.